The truth in your eyes
by XandyPants
Summary: Having studied at the exclusive Skylands Academy for three years, Stealth Elf eagerly looks forward to starting her fourth year of study. All she wants is a peaceful year with her friends as they train to be the best Skylanders they can be, but life has other plans for her with the arrival of a new teacher and a whole range of emotions she never knew existed. StealthxFlame
1. Chapter 1

**_Been musing over writing a skylanders fic for a while now so I've decided to bite my lip and just do it. There needs to be more skylanders fiction. ANYWAY. I hope you enjoy_**

* * *

It didn't matter how long I'd been here, the school had never quite felt right. I know my fellow students were talking behind my back and it took all of my strength to ignore them. I had very few real friends I could trust. First there was my best friend Hex. She and I had been together since the day she arrived here. The other students avoided her, completely terrified of her because of her element. I have never found her scary, just different.

Next there was Rider. He never fails to make me laugh, and well, he's a complete gentleman. He's like the older brother I've always dreamed of having. I know he'll never let me down. His element, like Hex, is undead but strangely enough, no one fears him. He is adored by half the female population of the school, making him quite popular. I don't know why he choses to hang around with us but whatever the reason, I'm greatful he does. He rides around upon an ostrich skeleton called Fright whenever he can. They make one of the best teams in the entire school.  
At the end of the year, he's due to take the final trial to become a Skylander. I've going to miss him, and I know Hex definately will aswell. The place definately won't be the same without him.

Then there's Chill. She's completely relaxed about nearly everything, althought she can get pretty scary when the occassion calls for it. Her level of dedication to a task once she sets her mind to it is unmatched throughout the entire school. I have no doubt that she will become a Skylander when the time is right. Her element is water and it truely shows in her personality.

Finally there's Sprocket, the last to join our band of misfits. If there's anything that's broken, she can definately fix it. She's enthusiastic about everything and every task assigned to her and is always fun to be around. She never judges anyone until she gets to know them. Her element is tech and it suits her right to her core. Until she joined us, our group was definately incompletely.

I'm sure you're wondering about me, right? Well, I go by the name Stealth Elf. My element is life and I'm the only one of the element that isn't a plant or atleast part plant in the entire school...in Skylands actually. This has made me an outcast I guess...not that I mind so much, a ninja works best alone. I don't remember my parents to be completely honest. I was found and adopted by an old, gnarled stumpy looking creature who turned out to be the guardian of the forest. He trained me in the ancient art of stealth. It wasn't long before I was running circles around him though, and that's when he decided to enroll me into the academy.

I loved it at first. Everyone was the same, no cliques, no groups and no one was outcast. Everyone was nice, but of course that never lasts. As the groups formed, I found myself increasingly alone. The revealing of our elements pretty much sealed my fate. The was when the whispering started and I realised that no one wanted anything to do with me. I was alone. No one would even share a dorm room with me, that was until Hex enrolled a year later. Everyone feared her as rumors from her old school spread like wild fire. I guess in times of desperation, the desperate flock together. We've been insperable since then.

Perhaps I should say alittle more about our academy. It's massive! There are twelve training arenas, eight of which are dedicated to a specific element and the other four are for general training. This academy is so highly sort after and exclusive because this is the only place where future Skylanders are trained. We are trained primarily in our elements and everything we'd need to know to survive. We are also taught several different languages commonly used throughout Skylands, general knowledge and at least basic math. History, science and anything else is left to choice but the more you learn, the better prepared you'll be.

Dorm rooms are shared between three and four students of the same gender. Naturally, I room with Hex, Chill and Sprocket. The rooms are quite spacious. We each have our own bedroom, there's a small kitchen, a small bathroom and a living area where we can hang out in our free time. All students meet in the dining hall every morning for breakfast. The kitchen is opened all day, opening at 6am and closing at 9pm. Students are free to come and go between classes to get snacks and drinks to keep their strength up.

Also provided are bathrooms with several toilets and showers. All students are expected to wash and shower after every training session. Can you imagine a classroom full of stinky, sweaty students? Nasty.  
Thankfully the showers are single sex only rooms. I would probably die if I had to share and shower in a room with guys trying to peek every five seconds. I would never feel safe in the shower again!

Ok, enough of that. I'm sure you're wondering what it takes to graduate. To become a Skylander, a student must master their element, reach and maintain peak physical condition, keep their grades up to their own individual level and pass a final trial when their schooling years are over. It's quite daunting to be honest, although my teachers all assure me that I'll be perfectly fine. This will be my fourth year here, next year will be my last before I attempt the final trial and become a Skylander. When Rider attempts his final trial, he's requested Hex and myself be present to support him. Usually the trials are secret and personal, but he insisted and requested us be there. It will be an advantage for us, we will get an idea of what we might be put through.

All I want this year is peace, but knowing the shenanigans that occur here, I know that won't happen.  
Wish me luck!

* * *

_**Sorry, that was a little boring but you but thankyou for reading through it. I have great ideas for this, I just have to find a way to put them into words, so until next time  
-Xandy**_


	2. Dodge it if you can

_**We meet again. Hopefully this isn't too awful. I've rewritten it three times already. Stupid paranoid brain never being happy with anything..**_

ANYWHO. Please enjoy. The fluff begins now.

disclaimer - I don't own Skylanders or the characters. IwishIdidbutIdon't

* * *

The first day of school. Well, so far everything was going as planned. I woke up early, went to the gym to train for a bit then showered and headed back to the dorm room to get ready for breakfast ( I had a couple of eggs on toast) before lumbering down the corridorr towards my locker before my first class was due to start.  
As far as I've noticed, no one has stared and started whispering about me. It's actually quite amazing. Have I missed something? A declaration that Stealth Elf is no longer a freak and that nobody should mock her anymore? FFFT. Whatever it is, I'm kinda glad. It feels great to just walk down the hallway and not be mocked.

For three years I've tolerated their antics. The constant teasing and annoying attempts at prank me. I'm proud to say not once have they caught me offguard.

Ahh, of course. It's the first day. Everyone is probably to occupied with catching up after the break, and of course, the place is filled with nervous first years. Poor bastards are in for shock after shock until they get used to the place. They all look nervous and pathetic...I guess I was the same way on my very first day, but still. I can't picture any of these guys becoming fully fledged Skylanders. They have my pity.

Ok, ok, back to the task at hand. I need to find my locker. New year, new locker. I hope it's near Nex's or Chill's. Hell, even Sprocket being nearby would be a comfort. Don't get me wrong, I love her and all but she can be a little over the top and I tend to get irritated easily. Plus she's not much help when I'm being verbally attacked by the 'popular' crowd.  
Ahh, here we go. Looks like their trying new things with the lockers this year. Instead of being all scattered and random, they've grouped the lockers into the elements. I can see Camo there already, fussing around with his locker. Looks like he got the busted one. It's hard not to snicker.

Camo's not so bad. Infact, I rather enjoy his company. He looks up and scowls at me, causing a wave of laughter to rip from my throat and erupt into the air. His glare intensifies.  
"Shut up, Stealth." He threatens, his tail swaying irritably behind him. "If you find it so funny, I'd like to see you open the damn thing!"

Oh, it's so on now.

"With pleasure," I find myself purring as I walk over and pound my fist against the metal, before twisting the dial and watching the door swing open innocently. The smugness must have shown on my face, because he just continues to glare before turning to the small locker space and muttering under his breath.

I spot my locker right beside his and a wave of relief washes over me. Atleast I'm next to Camo. Mine is right on the end of the life element locker group. The undead group is next to ours. I wonder if Hex will be on the end like me? Who knows. I start arranging my belongings in the locker before taking out what I'll need for gym. Such a great way to start the term. Knowing Cali, we'll be doing something fun to start the year off. Last year she had us use the trampolines to jump as high as we could to grab small floating disks, each with a number on them indicating how many points we'd get for the jump. Surprisingly Wrecking Ball won that competition with his long tongue grabbing the highest disk, which poor Dino Rang found himself in last place. Guess I'll just have to wait to find out.

* * *

I find myself alone in the female change rooms when I arrive. I guess I'm the first, as usual. Ohwell. I don't mind. I take my hair out of the long braid it's usually in and run my fingers through the strands, untangling any knots I may have made while training this morning. I am quite fond of my hair colour, it's unique to the elven race. With no more knots I carefully braid it again and fix my bangs so they don't irritate my eyes during class. Slipping on my gym uniform takes a few seconds but once i have it on I focus on my shoes. The uniform is really quite simple, a black singlet and black shorts. While it lacks imagination it is practical, not so much on hot days out in the sun but we usually train indoors so I don't mind.

My silence is soon shattered as excited chatter reaches my ears. Great. Here comes Cynder and her group. Cynder is the main cause for my torment, she enjoys seeing me suffer. I try not to listen to them as they walk in, but it's rather hard when they talk as loud as Sonic Boom screams, and as usually they're talking about boys. Boys boys boys. Oh the humanity! They're gossiping about the guys they can't wait to see again, about the possible 'crushes' some of the boys have and about who's broken up and who's now dating. UGH, I don't understand how they can find it intertesting.

Yes, sure, I've had my fair share of crushes I guess but I don't know how they can openly talk about it with each other. It's embarassing. Even Hex is more open about that kind of stuff than I am. Chill makes the odd comment here and there, but she usually just turns her nose up at such talk. Now Sprocket has no shame in talking about such things. Often we have had to put up with her babbling about boys, well, when she's not going on about her tools and what she's building.

Atleast those bitches aren't talking about me though. Wonder how long that will last? Knowing them, about two seconds once they notice me here.

Sliding my I.D card down the slot on the side of the locker, I shudder as I feel rediculously hot breath carass my neck.

"Morning Stealth," she purrs, causing me to shudder alittle more. Damn Cynder. Sometimes I wonder if she's really a lesbian in denial. She sure enjoys being up close and personal with me, and a few other girls. Turning to face her, I immediately regret it. Her eyes are twinkling with evil manace. She's up to something for sure.

"Morning Cynder," I reply with as little emotion as I can muster, afterall, she deserves nothing more.

"How was your vacation? Good? I hope it was?"  
"Why? Planning to make thise year hell for me?"

She looked shocked. She's a fantastic actress when she wants to be though so it left me unphased as I glared at her. "My vacation was fine. Nothing out of the normal."

"Oh, well good I guess. Did you meet anyone special?"

"Not that I'm aware of," i stutter, backing up against the locker. I need to get away from her. She's planning something. This was just plain creepy.

"No? That's a shame," she sang, turning back to her group of friends with a wicked grin. "Well, see you in class then." And with that she was gone. I don't think I've ever felt so threatened in my entire life!

I can hear her chuckling s she leaves with her friends, the word 'perfect' leaving her lips and hanging in the air. Fan-fucking-tastic.

* * *

"Alright class! I want you to gather over here! Today we're going to play dodgeball. Now, dodgeball is a great way to test and train one's agility and flexability. I guess it's kind of like a battle. You have two opposing sides dodging projectiles thrown at each other. Now I'll split you into two teams of MY chosing and I don't want to hear any complaints about it. Got it?" Cali boomed out over the mass of restless students. I can't help but admire her. Nobody argues or messes with her, afterall, she is a legend around here.

"YES MA'AM!" We shout back at her, the excited chatter dying down as Cali starts pulling some coloured cloths from her bag.

"The teams will be as follows!" She bellowed out, walking between the students and handing out the cloths.  
"Team One - Lightning Rod, Whirlwind, Jet Vac, Bash, Flashwing, Sunburn,  
Shroomboom, Spyro, Trigger Happy, Cynder, Chop Chop and Gill Grunt versus Team Two- Stealth Elf, Flameslinger, Sonic Boom, Warnado, Prism Break, Terrafin, Eruptor, Camo, Drobot, Sprocket, Hex and Zap. You all know the rules. You get hit by a ball, you're out! If you catch a ball the one that threw it is out and you can bring back one of your 'fallen' team mates. Last team standing wins, so protect your team mates and work together! Let's get to it!"

I eye her carefully. I trust Cali but she is devious and is propbably plotting something. Her smirk merely confirms it as she watches team one tie their light blue clothes around their wrists, ankles horns or tails. Anywhere they could really. A sudden pressure on my arm draws my attention to the red blindfold directly infront of me.  
"No time for daydreaming Stealthy," Flameslinger smirks. He knows I HATE people calling me 'Stealthy', and yet he does it anyway. I ignore his arrogant smirk as he drags me over to our team huddle.

The hushed discussion may as well have been in a language I didn't understand. I tuned out and focussed on getting myself mentally prepared. I will not lose today. I hate losing. It is not acceptable.

"Stealthy...Stealth... Stealth Elf? Hello? You awake?" Oh, there's his annoying voice again.

"Huh?" I look up at him and feel my face heat up slightly. What shenanigans is this? He's smiling at me. It's a kind and caring smile. He's never smiled at me like that before. "What?"

"You ok? You spaced out. You feeling alright?"  
"I'm fine," I manage before pulling my eyes away from him.

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

I don't understand this at all. Suddenly I'm nervous and shy. It's just FlameSlinger. The jerk I enjoy the occassional laugh with (when he's not being a complete moron).

My heart skipped a beat as he pressed a hand to my forhead.  
"Hmm, you're temperature is fine, so what's up?"  
"Nothing," I argue, swatting his hand away. "I was just thinking, that's all."  
"Well, quit it! Focus on the game... You didn't hear anything we said in the huddle did you?"  
"Nope," I smirked at him, recieving a light shove to the arm.  
To my surprise he simply laughed, making my stomach tighten and flutter slightly. "You idiot, we voted you team captain. Since you're fast and can jump pretty high, the team will be passing you the ball a lot. I hope you like balls Stealth. Big ones. Big red balls."  
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT," I flush. "I get it. Just shut up. You're so annoying."  
"And yet you don't push me away," he teases as we walk onto the court to join our team. They look at us both before looking at the other team. Great. Now there'll be a rumour about Flame and I...so why doesn't that disturb me as much as it should? Stupid feelings and emotions, you're messing me up.

"OH!" Cali shouted out to get the attention of the teams. " I almost forgot. NO magic or special abilities allowed! If i catch anyone breaking this rule, you will be disqualified from the game and you will leave your team with one less player. Understood?"

"Yes," we all droned unanimously. We watched as the mabu brought the whistle to her lips. She waited for the shuffling of the students to stop before blowing into the tin object hard. The shrill shriek pierced through the air, hurting mine and Flame's ears more than anyone else, starting the game.

* * *

**I actually love playing dodgeball, I don't know about you guys but I find the rush and excitement unbeatable. Though it does tend to get quite painful when you get hit in the face.  
See you guys soon  
-Xandy**


	3. The Pain of Victory

**Hi Guys~  
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this to you. I pretty much wrote this while on a 10 hour train ride instead of sleeping (which was basically impossible)**

**So, without further ado, let the fluff begin and enjoy~**

* * *

The shouts of my classmates were murder, absolute torture but reguardless I pressed on. To say it was vicious would be an understatement. The ball was flying backwards and forwards like a missile, smacking into students with such force I'm surprised no one is broken. I admit though, it is fun to see the grimace on Cali's face everytime the ball impacted someone. Wow, now I sound like a sicko. Ohwell.

First to go was Warnado who copped a ball to the face, then Prism Break also suffering a ball to the face. Next to suffer elimination was Lightning Rod who was hit in the chest while busy showing off, then Jet vac and Bash both being caught not paying attention. The rivalry between certain students was becoming increasingly obvious. Aims started to become sloppy as anger took over and eventually Cali was forced to blow her whistle.  
"ENOUGH!" She boomed, glaring at the offending players. " That's it! Sonic Boom, Sunburn, Whirlwind, Shroomboom, Eruptor, Drobot and Camo you're all OUT."  
They left the court grumbling, leaving those of us remaining to carry on in their place. Flame looked over at me and smirked, I could almost see the twinkle of mischief in his eyes behind his blindfold. He had a plan.

* * *

**Cali P.O.V**

The united groan that left the mouths of the eliminated players brought a smile to my face as I readied myself for the ball to be served once again. The teams were equal, but I can definately see a rift forming between Flashwing and Cynder and between Spyro and Chop Chop. Perfect. That's when I notice it. Looking back at her teammates, then at Flameslinger, Stealth smiled, giving me an idea about future assigned partners. Their team had their strongest players left while the other team was struggling with internal conflict. Cynder and Chop Chop seemed to have buddied up, causing Spyro to act in jealousy, which brought Flashwing into things as she tried to calm her friend down. This is turn was causing Cynder to act out of sorts with Flashwing leaving Gill Grunt and Trigger Happy to try and pull the weight to keep their team in with a shot. It was delicious to watch. I could definately work with this. My next unit for this class was conflict and conflict resolution. Soon they would be preparing for their first 'missions' to complete their training units for this year. Already I had an idea of who to pair with who for the best results. This game was just a cover for me to observe them and take notes on how well they worked with each other. I also had to determined the element captains for this class. Naturally there were a few standout choices but nothing was carved in stone yet.

* * *

**Stealth P.O.V **

Flame had started passing the ball to me at every chance he got and pretty soon the rest of the team started aswell. At first I was confused, but then I remembered the team meeting before the match. Hah, so they were serious when they decided that. Well, I definately won't let them down! Using my speed and stamina, I began assulting the remaining members of the other team, stunning them and making them run around like idiots.

"Poor, poor Gill," I heard someone suddenly snear from behind me, drawing my attention away from the game. Standing there, just off the court stood none other than Chill, a twisted smirk present upon her face.  
"It must be so difficult trying to hold such a team together with only Trigger to assist you."

"Chill!" Cali scalded, glaring at my friend. "That's enough out of you. Go and sit and watch the match."

She grudgingly did as she was told and took a seat on the bleachers, where she remained until the end of class, not another word leaving her scowling lips.

From the point of Chill interupting the match, things went pretty smoothly for us. Gill and Trigger tried their hardest but it was most definately not enough to stop us. Trigg reverted to giggling madly every time he hit the ball, which was quite distracting but it wasn't enough to throw us off, although it seemed to throw Gill off. By the end of class they were both battered and bruised and looking extremely ticked off. Spyro was getting an earful from Cynder, and everyone else was too busy feeling sorry for themselves to notice anything around them.  
Chill leapt off the bench and sprinted over to me, throwing a wicked grin to Flame, which I really didn't understand. He shot her a heated glare before retreating back to the male locker room.

"What was that about?" I question. Was there something I was missing?  
"Nothing, don't worry," She chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "You go and get changed alright? You smell like you've bathed in the Stinky Swamp."  
Chill held her nose and waved her hand infront of her face to make out that I smelt horrible.

"I do not!" I spat back. She did nothing but grin at me, continuing to wave her hand before her nose. "Whatever Chill! YOU JERK!"

* * *

It goes without saying that after gym class, the girls and guys split up and go to their respective locker rooms to shower and change. As I enter the change room, I notice that the cold, clean smell has now been replaced with the musky smell of hard work and exhaustion. Perhaps Chill was right. We do kinda stink.

The levels of idle chatter were at an all time low, no one has the energy to was on words. Each student has simply gone to the locker containing their belongings. The small, metal containers stood proudly against the wall, waiting patiently as padlocks were unlocked and the items within them were removed.

I stood before my locker grinning to myself, deep in thought. I don't understand it, but suddenly the tingling in my chest and the tightening of my stomach would not go away. It felt as it I would float away if I wasn't careful to anchor myself to the ground. I've never felt this way before. I feel giddy and for the first time in an age, I feel happy.

Naturally, such things are never allowed to last, and within a matter of seconds Cynder was at my side, snide and cruel remarks flooding from her mouth like an uncontrollable tide.

"He's just messing with you, you know? He doesn't really like you. No one does. We all tolderate you. Your friends only tolerate you because they have to. It makes them look good. Your parents didn't even want you! They dumped you the first chance they got. Even your 'master' sent you away! If I were you, I'd disappear and never show my face again! I-"

"CYNDER!" Hex bellowed as she stomped across the room. "How dare you! How dare you even think such things, let alone speak them! Just because you're bitter about losing and confused, that does NOT give you the right to take it out on her!"

I could do nothing but stand there. What Cynder had said had wounded me greatly. I looked to Hex, who had protectively wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close. I was in such a state of shock and hurt that I barely noticed the aura of fury and danger emitting from Hex. I looked back to Cynder and was surprised to find her as taken back and and shocked by the outburst. Had Hex hit a nerve?  
Normally one of soft voice and few words, Hex had taken the entire room by surprise.

Cynder just stared at her, mouth agape and wings hanging limpy at her scaly sides. She gasped repeatedly like a fish as she struggled to find anything to say in reply.

"Hey, hey! Cool it guys. Take it easy," Chill smirked as she walked in, clearly amused at Cynder's stupid expression. "Stealth, go shower. Sprocket's waiting for you outside."

Whatever happy feelings I had had were now well and truely gone, extinguished by Cynder's foul words and bitterness. I did nothing but grab my things and run. I ran past my classmates, the door to the shower room looming before me. I could feel the tears burning at my eyes, begging for release but I held them back. I would not let anyone see me cry. I looked back at Hex as my hand came to rest on the door, and I could tell it was taking all of her strength not to run after me.

* * *

Hot water bit at my skin but I didn't care, it was taking my mind off what had been said. Not only had Cynder brought up my birth parents (who I knew absolutely nothing about), but she had also brought my master and mentor into her tide of vileness. Woest still was the fact that I was beginning to somewhat believe her. The burning in my eyes was too much now, and I allowed the tears that had threatened to fall flow freely down my face. In the safety of my shower cubical, I allowed myelf to cry freely for the first time in years.

* * *

**Hex P.O.V**

As tough as her scales are, I could tell they did little to protect the dragoness from the bitter cold of Chill's fury.  
When Chill had asked what had happened, I of course told her without hesitation. Cynder had not denied it, infact, she had seemed rather proud of herself once her shock had worn off. Chill had lost her cool at that, and had proceeded to pin Cynder to the wall with a blanket of ice. Only her head was exposed, the rest of her was frozen into place. It was rather amusing the way her teeth chattered. Her body must have been starting to ache because she allowed herself to emit a pathetic whimper.

"It burns," she begged. "Please, enough."

Chill's stare was just as as cold as her ice, perhaps even more so.


	4. Side Effects

**Well, hi again. A massive massive thankyou to everyone that reviewed. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to upload. I hope you guys can forgive me. Things will start to get more interesting after this chapter. I promise~**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy**

* * *

The next few days saw me reverting back to the way I had been when I had first started here. I became quiet and reserved, I spoke only when required and I kept everything to myself. It's not like I wanted to be this way, hell, I hated being this way after my friends had worked so hard to bring me out of my shell, but I couldn't get Cynder's words out of my head.

I felt useless.

Chill, Hex and Cynder had all recieved two weeks worth of detentions which involved showing up at Cali's office every afternoon (including weekends) to be assigned a task for a few hours. Mostly detention tasks were some form of cleaning or maintenance, sometimes you would be required to assist in the kitchen or perhaps you would be asked to tutor a student in something you excelled at.

I had only ever had one detention. It wasn't that I was a perfect student, it's just that I've only ever been caught out once.

The incident in question occured during my first year here. The classes were all manditory and my class just happened to be sitting in our 'History of Skylands' class. Our teacher, an elderly turtle like creature, had just stepped out of the room to fetch our next assignments. Being a turtle of course meant that he would be gone for quite a while.

For a few minutes the class sat in silence. I focused on learning the names of the islands where important battles had been fought. When the chatter started up I ignored it in favour of continuing my study. Failing be damned.

I could hear Flame and Trigg chuckling away to themselves as they pestered the rest of the class with projectiles. Cynder was chatting away about this and that to anyone who would listen. Spyro and Grill were discussing the finer points of their favourite foods. I remember it clearly because the conversation soon took a turn for the worst when Spyro mentioned his love of fish.  
I dn't think the purple dragon will EVER underestimate his friend the gillman ever again.

As usual, no one was willing to talk to me, which was fine with me because I really wanted to learn this material by heart. If I did it now, I could spend more time training in solitude.

Ten minutes passed, the noise level steadily grew louder, but it was nothing to be concerned about. I certainly wasn't worried, that is until I heard hushed whispers coming from the corner of the room behind me.

I watched at Gill stood up and walked to the front of the room. He snatched up a piece of chalk and began to scribble checky, stupid things on the board, including the odd 'sketch' of a classmate.

Trigg had now started to show off, taking requests. He was flinging his golden coins at any target suggested to him. Cynder, being the bully she was (still is) had apparently been waiting for this. Her hushed whispers reached my ears and I turned to glare at the three of them. Flame looked away, a devilish smirk playing at his features. I sighed and turned back to my work, but unknown to them, I was on high alert for an attack.

I heard the manic laugh before twisting around and shooting my hand out into the air before me, closing my fingers around the golden annoyance. Trigg was lost for words. His usual grin was replaced with a look of blank confusing. Flame, as far as I could tell, was staring at me in shock. I imagine that under his blindfold his eyes were bugging out.  
Cynder simply stared at me with her eyes drawn to slits. She reminded me of a snake that day. A rough 'whatever' left her lips and she turned back to a conversation with Sonic Boom.

I narrowed my eyes at the trembling gremlin, tightening my fist containing his coin. I must have looked terrifying because the gasp Whirlwind let out was a cross between a cry and the gasp you do when you're oxygen deprived lungs finally refill with the precious gas.

In the blink of an eye, I had thrown the coin back at the annoyance and within the second, I had flung one of my thorn darts directly at him. The dart buried into the plaster wall millimeters above his head.

"Next time, I won't miss," I hissed at him, turning back to the front of the classroom, only, instead of finding Gill doodling away on the board, I met the cold stare of our teacher. He had seen the whole thing.

Gill, Trigg and I all copped a week's worth of detention. It was mostly cleaning and repairs so it was nothing major. But from that day onwards, I have always been careful not to get caught.

* * *

After being cornered by Hex and Chill, Cynder had somewhat backed off. She still glared and whispered behind my back, but she had yet to say anything to my face which I was thankful for. My days became blurs as I lived through them with as little communication as possible. I spent every spare moment I had in the training hall, taking out my frustrations on the training dummies.

Cali attempted asking me what was wrong, but she soon got the hint that I wasn't interesting in sharing my problems. Hex knew better than anyone just how stubborn I was. She asked me once if I wanted to talk about it, not bringing it up again after I rejected the idea. She was always by my side though, except when I trained.

Chill kept her distance mostly, not in a cold way but in a more respectful manor I appreciated. She would step closer when Cynder was near, and back off again when the coast was clear.

Sprocket insisted that I share what was troubling me. She had missed the actual event, but no doubt had been informed as to what had happened after she left. During lunches and breaks, she would ask me if I was alright. Afternoons she would stick to me like glue more than likely afraid I would do something stupid. In the evening and at night, she would constantly poke her head into my room to check on me. She had checked on me five times already tonight. One more time and I would fling a dart at her face. Oh great, I can hear her footsteps coming closer. Where did I put those darts?

My hand stopped above the sharp little death bringers as Chills voice broke the icy silence our dorm had fallen into.  
"Sprocket, it's called space. She just wants to be left alone for a while. Just leave her be."

"But!" Sprocket began to argue. "What if-"

"She won't do anything stupid," Hex's calm voice entered the fray. "Give her alittle more credit."

"WELL FINE! I was just trying to be a good friend!"

I heard her storming off but I just couldn't bring myself to care. I knew I was being selfish and pathetic.

"Stealth, I'm coming in, " Hex called from just outside the door. My hand was still hovering over the darts. 'You fling just one of those darts at me and see just how far you get."

...How does she do that?

* * *

**Thanks for sticking with me guys. I know I'm horrid at uploading in a timely manor. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait.**

**Now things will start to pick up  
Let the fun begin~**

**~Xandy**


	5. Resurfacing

_**After an eternity, I present to you the next chapter. Enjoy~**_

* * *

How does she always know what I'm thinking or what I'm planning on doing? She just has to glance at me and everything is revealed. It's not fair!

"Stealth," she muttered as she floated over to my bed. "Stealth, come on. This can't keep going on. We've given you space, now it's time for the moping to stop. Soon your grades will be affected. We want to help you but you have to let us. Rider's pretty much in a state of panic over the way you're acting. He wants to save you from whatever darkness is clouding your mind but he knows he can't. I've been cornered by Cali every afternoon asking if you're alright. She's really worried. Hell, I've even been cornered by Flameslinger. He's really pissed off over the whole thing."

At this point, I could tell she was smirking. Damnit Hex! Now's not the time.

"I'm pretty sure he told Cynder off. Heh, you're lucky. Two brave 'knights', both wanting to come to your rescue."

"Stop," I blushed as I sat up. "Just stop. They're not knights coming to my rescue."

"Sure they are," she grinned. "Only one looks at you like a little sister. It's the other one I'm going to have to keen an eye on."

"Shut up," I chuckled. It felt nice to be able to smile again...even if it was just for a moment.

"That's better," Hex cooed, carassing my cheek and smiling. "It's nice to see that smile again. You should leave your mask off more often. The others might stop the rumors if they could see there is nothing but a normal mouth and nose under it."

I laughed at the thought of the rumors. So far I had no teeth, some form of flesh deformity, scars, two mouths, a horrible wart, demon fangs, no mouth at all, a forked tongue, a mouth the size of a pea, an uncontrollable facial hair problem, a tattoo and bad breath.

"I'm surprised they haven't noticed all the piercings I have." I mused, grinning like a fool at my best friend.

"Ooh, I'll start that one up tomorrow and add it to the list." Hex sniggered to herself. "That's a good one really. I wonder why it hasn't occurred to the masses yet?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not really. So, you going to tell me what's bothering you or do I have to torture it out of you?"

I stared at her. Did she really just threaten me with torture?

"Don't look at me like that little miss moody elf. I'm of the undead element remember?"

"That's not an excuse!" I roared, trying not to laugh. She was messing with me, I knew she was, but it was so hard not to play along with it. "Hex?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's go for a walk. I need some fresh air."

"You realise if we get caught breaking curfew, it'll be a month's worth of detentions for us and I've still got Cali's to complete don't forget."

"You're either in or you're out."

"Just put your damn mask on and let's be gone."

* * *

**-Flameslinger-**

To say I was furious was an understatement. Maybe it was the fire buring within my very soul that made me so hotheaded, or maybe it was that I cared about her alittle too much. Whatever. The point is that Cynder knows how I feel about Stealth and she still insists on tormenting her.

Cynder and I have been on rocky ground for quite a while now. I'm sick of her constantly sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. Spyro needs to keep her on a tighter leash before someone puts her in her place for good. Undead element or not, Cynder needs a serious attitude adjustment.

Ever since she had found out about my little crush, she's made a point of teasing me for it and picking on Stealth just to get a reaction from me. I honestly don't get it. Does she derive some sort of sick pleasure from making others suffer or does she feel so threatened by everyone else around her that to survive she has to belittle others? I wouldn't be surprised by the first, but the second is more likely with her shadowed past. It's something that everyone in our groups knows about but it's never discussed. Even she deserves some privacy..right?

* * *

The air was crisp as we crept around the shadowed boundaries of the main courtyard, keeping out of sight as the night patrol made their rounds.

To briefly explain, the night patrol is made up of the older academy students. Every shift they do counts towards their final grades and consideration for advanced training in other institutions once they graduate. No everyone that attends the academy graduates and still wants to become a Skylander so there are many other options available to them once they leave. Training at this academy is one of the greatest stepping stones anyone could ever hope for.

The sound of a twig snapping catches me by surprise and I realise that I haven't been watching where I was going. I look over to Hex and smile sheepishly while she glares, trying not to laugh.

In the dark it's hard to make out what she's mouthing to me, but I understand at once when she vanishes into the vegetation. I make a move to follow her but a strong grip on my shoulder stops me.

Well crap. I'm so busted now.

How could I be so careless?

"Stealth! How could you be so careless?" Rider whispers to me harshly. "You're lucky I got assigned the courtyard tonight and not someone else. Hex, I know you're there, it's no use hiding. What were you both thinking? Breaking curfew?"

"Rider," I utter, staring up into his hollow, ghostly eyes, trying my best to look innocent. "I needed some fresh air..."

He sighs and pulls me close, almost crushing me in his tight embrace. "Welcome back, Kiddo."

* * *

_**And there you have it, my sleep deprived waffle. It's been in my head for weeks now and tonight I found the motivation to type it out. The majority of the next chapter is typed out as well, and just a heads up, it's a Hex chapter so yeah.**_

I can't help but feel that the Typo Fairy hates me. It took me so long to correct all the mistakes my sleepy eyes missed, so please excuse any you may see. I hope you all enjoy and once again, I'd like to thank everyone who is still reading this and those who have started. _**I love you guys, every single one of you. c: **_

_**-Xandy**_


	6. Looking Back

_**Hi guys. Some of you wanted to know Hex's past so here it is. I hope you enjoy. I'd say more but I'm running late for work. I hope it's not too boring.**_

* * *

I'm not jealous of her, but I wish he'd hold me like that. Just once and I'd be happy. He has no idea the effect he has over me, how overwhelming it is to see them embrace each other like they do. I haven't felt anything like this since I joined the ranks of the undead.

I'm being stupid, I know I am. They're just friends. She's always looked up to him and he's always seen her as his unofficial little sister so why do I feel this way? I hate it! It's not fair! It's not fair on me and it's especially not fair on them.

The first time I ever felt this jealous was at my second school. The first school I went to was a small institution with few students and teachers. Back then, before I was undead, I was a magic element. My name wasn't Hex either, it was Aurora...horrible isn't it? My mother was a cruel, cruel woman. Although, looking back, I suppose I should thank her for pushing me to improve and excel. It's because of her that I am as able as I am today.

That first school became like a second family to me. It was safe, cheerful and fun. It was also the only school within an acceptable distance from the small village where I was born.

With my mother's constant hounding to practice my sorcery, skills, chanting and casting, I soon exceeded all of my class mates and found that that little school no longer offered me any challenges. It was under this train of thought that my mother enrolled me at a second school and I bid farewell to the children I had always known and grown up with.

My second school was vastly different from my first. It was a boarding school just like this one where as my first school had not been. I was found to be quite a gifted young sorceress and was welcomed with open arms into that school and into a certain group. I had only been there for a few days and I found myself in amongst the popular crowd, the magic element kids. At first I was uncomfortable being the centre of attention, but I soon melted into the role, accepting my elevated popularity status as a right, not a privileged

As well as magic elements, several life element students were also included, even some tech had found their way in. We were quite a large group, with quite a lot of control over the school.

Within my first month at this new school, I had met so many new people, including the boy that was soon to become my boyfriend. He was a life element elf by the name of Aspen, but he preferred the name Ash. His father was a fire element named Orion. He was a hunter, and quite famous around the area for hunting and taking out beasts. His mother was a gentle woman, a life element who went by the name Willow. A free spirit who would prefer to look at things in a positive light while her husband would pick out the downside to everything.

Ash, like his father, tended to be negative about most things. His mother drove him crazy and he longed to be a son of fire like his father.  
When I met him he was seeing a tech girl who's name I can never remember. They would hold hands, she would giggle and he would smile a charming little grin. My feelings for him basically bloomed over night and in no time at all I couldn't stand the sight of them without jealousy flaring up within my chest.

Many devious and nasty pranks later found Ash by my side and the tech girl at a new school. I had earned myself a nasty reputation and a full time position among the popular crowd.

Rumors flowed and further boosted my status, my ego and my stupidity. In my mind there was nothing I couldn't do.

Word reached our group one afternoon, of a dragon claiming to be king of the undead. Ash and a few others decided it would be a fantastic idea to seek him out and find out if the rumors were true, confident that he would be no match for us. I was dragged along unwillingly, hand in hand with my lunatic of a boyfriend who quivered at the thought of making his father proud.

Sneaking off campus was easy, we'd done it countless times. This would be just another adventure to further our greatness.

Needless to say things did not go as they planned.

Half of us turned back once we located the gates of the underworld, making excuses and running for it as fear took them over. Those of us remaining laughed at their cowardice and ventured in. It was a disaster.

The smell was indescribable, of course it doesn't bother me now but back then it was enough to choke a being to death.  
We were attacked by wave after wave of undead minions, the numbers infinite while the king remained in control. Our numbers dwindled as the weaker of us fell injured and had to stumble away before a deadly blow could befall them.  
The dead closed in, their gnashing teeth and sorrow filled moans chilling us as we fought them off, slowly pushing our way towards an area we supposed the king Malefor was.

As we neared a large palace carved into the rock itself, we were set upon by a purple dragoness. She was unrelenting in her attack and saw the majority of the remaining group flee back to the army of undead steadily pursuing us.

Again and again she attacked, each time getting closer and closer to us. I think it was by this time that Ash realized what we had gotten ourselves into and started freaking out, causing panic to flow through everyone else. We were outmatched by a single dragon and out flanked by the advancing army.

I was rather certain we would never leave the place until our savior appeared. A small purple dragon (that I now know to be Spyro) challenged our attacker (who I also now know by name as Cynder) and in time managed to defeat her, breaking the hold Malefor's curse had on her.  
This did not sit well with the king, who then began to target us while Spyro tried to drag the unconscious she-devil to safety.

I'm not really sure what happened next. I do know that my friends backed off and I was left standing against him alone. I also remember Malefor commenting on my abilities, I assume impressed with me and then attempting to capture me. Apparently I didn't take too kindly to that, all I can recall is a rage that I'd never felt before and that the dragon king fell. After that I loose a few days, the next memory I have is waking up in the underworld, alone and forsaken. I knew I was different, changed, that I was no longer Aurora.

I had unwillingly joined the ranks of the undead.

My return to school was a nightmare. My former friends, battered and bruised, turned their backs on me. They shunned my newly paled skin and exceedingly hollow eyes. They mocked the coolness of my flesh and taunted me with new names, one of which I took on when I finally accepted the change.

Ash looked upon me with disgust, spitting at my feet and blaming me for everything that went wrong. Infact, that was the attitude of the entire group. I was blamed for the whole thing and promptly expelled.

My mother was disgusted and ashamed of me. The pride that once shone in her eyes was now replaced with sorrow and hurt. Mostly she refused to look at me, barely uttering word as I tried to strike up last I ever saw of her was the night I decided to leave home for good, almost a year after my expulsion. I simply couldn't take it anymore.

I applied at many schools, every one I could in fact but my record followed me like a predator. Nobody wanted anything to do with me, until I applied here at the academy.

Perhaps the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done. The other applicants and I sat in a waiting room, awaiting our names to be called out for an entrance exam.  
They all stared at me, they all knew exactly who I was and what I had done, as did most of the academy it seems.  
Cynder had remembered everything, or had found out what she couldn't remember. She was still bitter about being defeated and not being able to defeat me. She had spread rumors about me before I had even set foot in the place.  
After the exam, those of us who had passed to the school's expectations were pulled a side while the rest were escorted away, back to their parents or whatever they had.  
We were assigned dorms and classes, timetables, books, lockers and anything else we needed. In my case, it was everything. I had next to no money to buy anything and no where to go if I'd failed.

Classes were yet to start as we clustered together in a group and worked our way through the hallways, locating the dorm rooms and slowly dispersing to meet our fellow students.

My dorm room seemed to be in better condition that all the others we had passed and I assumed I would be living with one or more neat freaks. I wasn't a messy elf, but I wasn't super tidy either.  
Taking a breath, I pressed the key into the lock and turned, a small click letting me know this indeed was the right room.  
Inside was as expected. Neat and tidy. It looked barely lived in except for the few odd objects here and there. I decided to explore and try to find my new roommate.

She had apparently heard me enter and had assumed I was an attacker. The first I knew of her presence was a cold blade pressed to my throat and hollow eyes boring into my own. She was shorter than I was and I could tell from her body language that she was on edge.

She regarded me with a coldness I had never experienced before (not even my old group of 'friends' had been so cold), especially in another elf. It was almost emotionless. It was that of a killer. But I did not fear her.

After a few moments she relaxed, retracting her blade and backing away, keeping an eye on me. Her questions came quickly and were to the point. I soon realized she was not afraid.

She escorted me to my classes and showed me around the school, answering all of my questions and waiting for me outside of my classrooms when we had different classes.

I hated her at first. I hated that she was life element, not to be trusted, my natural rival. I hated that she made me smile when I should have frowned and I hated that she opened up to me when she should have kept her distance. I loathed that as much as I wanted to pull away and construct a wall around myself, I simply couldn't. It pissed me off that without even trying, this little elf had somehow managed to worm her way past every defense I had, this little life element had somehow managed to make herself an irreplaceable aspect of my life.

This was how Stealth and I had met and how we had become friends. She was an outcast the same as I, she was the friend I wish I'd had from the start. We have been side by side ever since my first day. I can't picture my life without her in it.

* * *

_**And there you have it. Like I said, hope it wasn't boring. The next chapter will hopefully be up soon, life permitting. Catch you guys later!**_

_**-Xandy**_


	7. The Dark Hours Begin

**I really had a lot of trouble on this chapter. I was stuck on it for aaaaages. I'm so sorry ;_;  
It's another Hex p.o.v one then it's back to Stealth for the next one. Once again, please excuse any errors and enjoy.**

* * *

Last night was probably the best night of my life, I have to admit. After busting us, Rider hid us away in a far corner of the courtyard behind some vegetation and continued his patrol. Stealth spent the majority of the time snickering at the massive blush across my face while we waited for him to return. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to punch her. I knew there was a smug grin hidden behind that mask, there usually is.

When he returned, he directed us to hide for a little while longer, just to be sure we wouldn't be caught. He also hid himself away as his patrol was over and he was supposed to be in his quarters preparing for sleep. He instead sat himself between us, admitting he had missed all the shenanigans we all used to get up to before school life became so full on. I guess that's to be expected as you near the end of your education

When the coast was clear, we all emerged from the bushes, laughing at the many faces Stealth was pulling behind her mask. All we could see were her eyes of course, but just from those we could guess the face. Everytime Rider looked away, she would turn to me and bat her eyelashes in an attempt at making a 'love sick' face. She would sigh just loud enough for me to hear it and pose as if she were off in her own world.

I knew she was teasing, and I knew she was baiting me for a reaction greater than me simply rolling my eyes, so everytime he looked away, she would exaggerate her act further, getting slightly louder every time.

When he finally turned to face us, his eyebrow cocked in a "what the hell" way, I finally lost my cool and aimed a skull at my best friend, fully intending to whack her one on her smug face. Maybe it would shut her up.

Needless to say it was what she had been waiting for and easy dodged the projectile, bounding away obnoxiously while snickering.

While I was furious at her teasing, I was also relieved to have my old friend back. I could tell from the smirk Rider wore that he too was pleased to finally see the old Stealth make a return.

It wasn't to last. It never does.

We walked the grounds several times, well, I floated along and Stealth bounded on ahead barely visible as she practiced moving in the dark as soundlessly as possible. Rider was the only one of us doing any actual walking funnily enough.  
He and I conversed while watching our hyper friend leap here and there. It was perfect.

By the time we decided to head back, Rider was dragging his feet, exhausted from patrol. Stealth had resigned to walking by my side, easily within attack range but I kept my fists to myself, not wanting to spoil the peace that had fallen over us. Things were as they were supposed to be.

Rider walked us back to our dorm (being a gentleman and all), insisting that he wanted just a little extra time with us. We said our farewells and he placed a gentle kiss on Stealth's forehead before she turned and retreated to her room, leaving us alone.  
The silence was more than awkward as I struggled to find something to say to him. I didn't understand why it was hard, we had never had trouble being alone like this before. The look on his face told me that he had something on his mind. I decided to leave him to his thoughts, muttering a pathetic "good night" with every intention of turning around and closing the door in his face.

He looked up from his thoughts at my words, his eyes hollow and unreadable. He was fidgeting with his hands and he opened his mouth as if to say something, before deciding against it and closing it again.

I made to turn around when I felt a cool hand on my arm. It sent jolts through my body.

"Wait!" He whispered urgently. "I...urh...goodnight Hex."

His lips touched my cheek as the words slipped from his mouth. He pulled away after only a second, giving me a shy grin before walking off in a hurry.  
I watched him leave before closing and locking the dorm door and smiling to myself. The snickering coming from Stealth's room alerted me that she had been watching. Angrily I flipped her the bird and floated off to my room in a huff.  
Damn life elements.

* * *

The next morning was much like every other morning. Stealth and Chill were the first to get out of bed with Sprocket following soon after. Stealth rose earliest out of us all out of habit from training with her master. It also gave her a little time to eat something without others around. She's weirdly paranoid about others watching her eat.  
Chill simply has trouble sleeping in and will often sit in bed for a while reading, not that we're supposed to know that. It's one of her worst kept secrets.  
It goes without saying that Sprocket rises earlier than necessary so she can have a little extra time to tinker around with her creations.  
I was the last out as usual, with the night before making everything extra tedious, but it was so worth it. I wonder if big mouth has said anything to the others just to get a reaction from me.  
I entered the small kitchen we shared, expecting the worst.

What I got was not what I had expected. Obviously Stealth had said nothing as the other two hadn't bombarded me with questions, although her eyes kept darting back to me and I just knew that smirk was underneath her mask. Chill raised her eyebrow at us once after observing me throwing many small objects (anything I could get my hands on really) at my best friend before going back to minding her own business. Sprocket was far too busy reading an old engineer's diary she had borrowed from the library to take much notice of us.

Eventually we dragged ourselves from the kitchen and got dressed, making our way to class, all of us having the same class first up. Basic Math.

"Ew," Chill groaned, scanning her timetable.

It was not a favourite of our group, only Sprocket seemed to enjoy it. Hell, she had even taken up advanced math as one of her electives for next year. I shudder at the thought! It sounds quite icky really.

I took my usual seat beside Stealth and got my work book and text book out, noticing that she had already done so.  
Chill took the seat next to Stealth in the new row and Sprocket beside her.  
We're sitting up towards the back of the classroom. Stealth prefers it back here where she's less likely to be caught dosing off. It irks Sprocket to no end and amuses Chill greatly. I really couldn't care less where we sit or Stealth's nap time roster, as long as I'm not forced to sit next to someone I hate, I can deal.

Hate's a strong word, and I don't really hate anyone here. I just dislike them strongly. I find them mostly arrogant and somewhat nosy. They want to know what's going on with everyone else instead of focusing on what's important. Once I wouldn't have minded, back when I thought the entire universe would bow to every wish, but now I wanted my secrets and my business to stay that way.  
"Hex," Stealth whispered to me halfway through class. "Hex, I feel sick."  
There was an urgency to her voice, something I had never heard from her before. It honestly scared me.  
I looked her over and had to restrain myself from hugging her tightly. She had gone at least five shades paler than usual and she was shivering. She almost looked undead.

I wasted not a second more and pulled her to her feet. Our teacher glared at me and I lost my cool, daring her to stop us.  
"Just where do you think both of you are going in the middle of MY class?"  
"Take a look at her! She's clearly not well. I'm taking her to the infirmary. Stop us if you want, but just be warned, I'll not be cleaning up any vomit."

That seemed to have done the trick. Miss stick in the mud's face went blank at the thought of having to clean up any sort of mess. She was new here and I hadn't even bothered to catch her name. She was a mabu, a little taller than your average female. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and her fur was obviously keeping rediculously clean.

"I'm not going to vomit you know," Stealth grumbled as we made our way through the hallways. She still looked horrible, but atleast some of her colour had returned. I slowed my pace and released her arm, having only just realized I was basically dragging her along.  
"Nice," she uttered, examining the hand mark on her arm. "That's going to be a fun one to explain."  
"Shut it. Let's just get you to the nurse."  
"Are you that worried? Aww, so sweet."  
"Of course I'm worried. I've never seen you like this before! And your voice. I've never heard you so desperate."  
"I wasn't desperate," huffed a now disgruntled Stealth, still holding her arm as she shuffled through the hallway, the infirm door looming before us.  
"Want me to come in with you?"  
I grinned. I was expecting a no, an explanation that she wasn't five and that she didn't need anyone to hold her hand. It was how a healthy Stealth Elf would have responded. Indeed of that, however, I got a moment of hesitation before a meekly whispered "yes" swept from behind her mask.

Now I was really worried.

* * *

"I can't find anything wrong with you, other than you look like you've been dragged through the pits. Your temperature is a tad high and you're still rather pale but a quick scan of your blood and vitals says you're healthy. Are you sure it isn't stress related?"  
"It could be," Stealth admitted. "I've had a difficult time lately."  
"I've heard," the nurse cut in. "My nurse in training tells me most of the things going on concerning the student population."

I peaked around a corner while Stealth was conversing with the nurse, my eyes narrowing as they landed on Whirlwind. She gave me a shy little smile and wave before trying to appear busy with a stuck of papers.

"Whirlwind," the nurse bellowed, startling the hybrid into scattering the rather pile of papers everywhere. "Never mind that now, come here and comfort miss Stealth Elf while I go the Principal. She obviously needs a break."  
The three of us fell into an awkward silence as we listened to the nurse waddle into her office, looking for something, and then waddling back out and off to see the Principal.

"So," Whirlwind began, looking to her claws. "You were really awesome in that game of dodge ball. I never got a chance to congratulate you, both of you. I wish I could have been on your team. Not because you guys won or anything, because you're a heck of a lot nicer than Cynder."  
"I thought you two were friends," I raised my eyebrow, folding my arms over my chest. Mistrust could be a Skylander's greatest weapon, or his/her greatest enemy. I was choosing to wield it in this situation.  
"Ahh, well...you see. How do I put this without sounding harsh. Cynder's a bit of a ...meanie. She used to be nice when she first came here, but now she's just plain mean and bossy."  
"So leave," I cut in rather bluntly. "Find a new group."  
"It's not that simple. If I were to leave, she'd make my life a living hell. Right now it's better to be with her than against her. Self preservation really."

The hybrid looked to her claws again in shame. I got the distinct feeling she hated herself for staying with Cynder. The word 'coward' instantly came to mind.

"Smart," Stealth mused, giving Whirlwind a small pat on the back. She was smiling under that mask once again. At least I could relax a little now and so could she.

"Pack your things," the nurse interrupted rather rudely. "The Principal wants to see you right now, and then you're being sent home."

* * *

**The next chapter will be going back to Stealth's p.o.v. It was also written while i was waiting for a doctors appointment (just a little fun fact I thought I'd share). It's pretty much done but there are things I'm unhappy with. Anyway. Thank you for staying with me thus far and I'd love to hear from you all. **


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